Automatic train-stop.



W. A. SEEDS.

AUT 0MAT lC TRAIN STOP. APPLICATION FILED 050.20. 1916.

1,801,879. Patented Apr. 29,1919.

Rug/j In I\ "g M.

fi. meds WILLIAM A. SEEDS, OF CRIPPLE GREEK, COLORADO.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN-STOP.

Specification of Letters .Patcnt.

Patented Apr. 29, 1919.

Application filed December 20, 1916. Serial No. 137,981.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM A. Snnos, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cripple Creek, in the county of Teller and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Traiirstops; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to new and. useful improvements in automatic train stops and the principal object of the invention is to provide a novel means for preventing trains from passing semaphore signals when the same are set at danger.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel form of circuit closer actuated by the semaphore for closing a track circuit through suitable conductor rails mounted adjacent the track rails which are arranged to cooperate with contact shoes carried by a train in order to feed current from the track circuit through a local motor circuit which is arranged to actuate an electric motor mounted for opening a valve in the train pipe in order that the pipe will be bled thus setting the brakes.

With these and other objects in View the invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts which will be fully set forth in the following specification and accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a fragmentary side view of a locomotive and railway track showing the same equipped with this improved stopping mechanism, and

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail vertical sectional view through the switch housing showing the method of connecting the switch to the semaphore.

Referring to the drawing, 1 designates a locomotive of the ordinary construction provided with the usual train pipes 2 having a valve 3 therein which is adapted to be actuated by a motor 41. This motor is connected by a suitable wiring system to the contact shoes 5 and 6 which are adapted to engage the conductor rails 7 and 8 respectively as the train passes over the road. Mounted beside the track is the usual semaphore standard 9 having the pivot 10 at its upper end which has connected thereto a semaphore arm 11 carrying a sprocket 12 over which the chain 13 passes. This semaphore arm is adapted to be actuated in the ordinary manner and the chain 13 passes downwardly and around a sprocket 14 mounted within a housing 15 which is provided at its upper end with a neck 16 through which the chain passes. This housing 15 has attached to its upper wall an insulating block 17 and to its lower wall an insulating block 18 and the insulating block 17 has mounted thereon a con-tact 19 and a similar contact 20. A suitable contact. 21 and a similar contact 22 are mounted on the insulating block 18 and these contacts 19 and 20 and 21 and 22 are adapted to be bridged by a suitable bridging contact carried on a rocking arm which is connected to the sprocket 14 so that when the semaphore arm is moved to danger position the circuit will be completed.

The rocking arm is designated by the nu meral 23 and is provided at opposite ends with suitable insulating blocks having mounted thereon the bridging contacts 24: and 25 which are adapted to bridge the contacts 19 and 20 and 21 and 22 respectively.

Connected to the contact 19 is a suitable wire 26 which leads to the contact rail 8 While a wire 27 is connected to the contact 20 and leads to a battery 28, the opposite terminal of which is connected by a wire 29 to the contact 21 and a wire 30 leads from the contact 22 to the contact rail 7 It will be apparent from the foregoing that in use the train is equipped with the train carried mechanism and when the semaphore arm is moved to danger position the chain 13 will move the rocking arm 23 into such position that the bridging contacts 2 1 and 25 will bridge the contacts 19 and 20 and 21 and 22 respectively thereby causing the rails 7 and 8 to be charged and when the contact shoes 5 and 6 engage said rails it will be seen that the current will flow through the wiring system on the train into the motor 4 thus setting the same in operation and causing the valve 3 to be opened so as to bleed the train line and set the brakes.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention, it is to be understood that such changes may be made in the combination and arrangement of parts as will fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed is In an automatic train stopping apparatus, a semaphore signaling device including a standard and a. pivoted arm, a casing mounted on the semaphore standard, a normally open track carried circuit, two pairs of spaced contacts arranged in the circuit and positioned in said casing, a sprocket wheel mounted within the casing, a sprocket wheel mounted upon the arm, a chain mounted upon the sprocket wheels, an insulated bar secured to the lowermost of the sprocket 10 wheels within the casing, and a contact block on each end of the bar adapted to engage the stationary contact members to close the circuit, as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM A. SEEDS.

Witnesses Jnssm CAssIoY, ED. F. SEHET.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

